Davkovski to keep playing youth as Suns look to next year

Matthew Galea

September 6 2014

Shepparton News

With two games remaining for Goulburn Valley Suns and relegation long ago confirmed, the club just wants to finish its debut season positively.

That just means playing good soccer for senior coach David Davkovski.

The Suns lost 4-1 against Hume City last round but they played quite well up until the sending off of Ben Clarke, and Davkovski would be happy with a similar performance at Dandenong Thunder today with 11 men on the field.

‘‘As long as we’re playing well and knocking the ball around, I’ll be happy,’’ Davkovski said.

‘‘Their coach Dean Hennessy actually came up to Shepparton to watch us last week, so they’re not taking us lightly.

‘‘I was speaking to him after the game and he said that we shouldn’t be on the bottom of the ladder with the way we played, so they’re aware of us and, like us, they want to finish the season on a good note.’’

Thunder has endured a lacklustre second half of the season after initially looking like it might trouble some of the National Premier Leagues Victoria’s top teams.

Former Shepparton United player Carl Lamb left the Blues to test himself at the NPLV level, but has since moved back to England.

Joey Hogarty will miss the game after delayed notice from Football Federation Victoria and picking up five yellow cards in the under-20 side.

Hussein Sumaili made his first-team debut off the bench last week and is set to make his first start as Davkovski continues to prepare some of the younger players at the club for more senior action next year in the competition’s second tier — NPL1.

‘‘I think I’ve debuted or given first starts to seven players now and there might be more this week,’’ Davkovski said.

‘‘I think it’s the right thing to do.

‘‘We’re just continuing to prepare for NPL1 and I think we’ve done all the kids good with exposure to the seniors and we’re just rotating through them now.’’